A Welcome Surprise
by AlexanderCastle
Summary: Five months after their wedding, Kate meets Rick at the airport when the latter returns to New York from a three week book tour. And she has a surprise for him. May be AU (especially after Season 7 starts). One-shot.


**A complete stand-alone Castle 'fic, based on this idea - Takes place about five months after Kate and Rick's wedding, with Kate meeting him at the airport upon his return from a book tour and having a surprise for him.**

**For Tori, who suggested I write this.**

_**Disclaimer: I don't own them. But if Andrew Marlowe wants to give them to me as a gift for my 22nd next year, then I'd be more than happy to take them off of his hands...**_

**_Setting - Read the author's note. Most likely AU._**

**~A couple of days ago~**

"I miss you, Kate".

Her husband's voice was gentle as he spoke, and she found herself wishing herself two days into the future, resenting the fact that he was halfway across the country when she needed him there with her, right at that very moment. She sighed softly. "I know. I miss you too, Rick. It's just not the same around here without you".

Rick chuckled. "It's not the same here without you either. There's so much I wanted us to see together".

"When will you be back? Two days, right?"

She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep her news secret from him. She wanted more than anything for him to be there with her at that very moment, but she knew that he was obligated, due to his contract with Black Pawn, to go on book tours. On the other hand, the simple fact that she recognized that it was part of his job (just like hers involved waking up at often asinine hours of the morning) didn't mean that she had to like it or that she couldn't wish that he was there with her instead. In fact, that's exactly what she was determined to do. "Yes. We landed in Chicago about five hours ago. I have a couple of book signings scheduled for tomorrow morning and afternoon, and then I have the rest of the day to myself before we fly back to New York in the morning" her husband replied, trying to keep his tone neutral, though she could tell from the way that he spoke that he wanted to be back at home with her about as much as she wanted him there.

Gods, she wanted to blurt out her secret right then and there. But it wasn't the kind of thing that you told someone over the phone. It would have to wait. "Great. Oh, just to let you know, I asked my dad to meet us for dinner that night. Your plane gets in at around 10 am, and we're not meeting him until six pm, so we'll have plenty of time to relax before then".

"Okay, cool. It'll be nice to see him again. I haven't seen him since the day after our wedding, after all".

"I know, neither have I. That's why I invited him to meet us for dinner. I was thinking, how about that little Italian place near the loft? You want me to make the reservations?" she queried, purposely leaving out the fact that there was another reason that she had invited her father to dinner with Rick and herself, and it had nothing to do with the fact that they hadn't seen each other for just under five months (due to the three weeks she and Rick had taken for their honeymoon, as well as their unusually-heavy caseload once they had returned to the 12th Precinct. And it didn't really help matters that Rick had had to leave town on a book tour for the latest book in the Nikki Heat series almost as soon as their case load had finally lightened again, which had been about three weeks before).

"Would you mind? I have a charity event that I'm supposed to be going to tonight, and I don't know if I'll be able to find the time to reserve a table before I have to get ready. Or, of course, we could always invite him to join the four of us (My mother, Alexis, you, and myself) for a family dinner at the loft if it would make him feel more comfortable… It would be more casual and relaxed, less stressful or formal. I could make spaghetti bolognaise or lasagne or something"

Kate smiled to herself. Rick always knew just what to say when she needed it most. That was one advantage of their marriage having followed four years of (initially reluctant) partnership and friendship, a fifth of dating, and a sixth of being engaged. They knew each other so well that they could instantly tell when the other person needed something, and they would often provide it within seconds. "Actually, dinner at the loft does sound like a good idea. I'll suggest it when I talk to him tomorrow morning. Hey… Rick?"

"Kate, is something wrong?" Rick queried.

She could tell by the sound of his voice that he was concerned, and she couldn't help but manage a slight sigh in satisfaction. "No, Rick, nothing's wrong at all. Everything's just so perfectly, beautifully, right. Well, almost everything, anyway".

She glanced down at the contents of the small box in her lap, a single perfect tear slipping down her cheek before falling to land beside the single white stick-like object inside of the box. "Let's just say that I've got a surprise for you for when you get back" she said softly.

"Can't you tell me now?" he queried.

She chuckled at the whiny sort of tone that his voice had suddenly taken. "Sorry, but it's not the kind of news to share over the phone. I'll meet you at the airport when you get back, and I'll tell you then. I promise".

"Richard Castle! You'd better be getting ready for tonight's event!"

Kate felt herself wince as the shrill, nasal, voice of his agent hit her ears, still hearing her perfectly well even though they weren't in the same room. Her husband sighed. "I suppose I had better get going. I love you, Kate".

Hearing him say those three words sent a shiver down her spine. They always did, no matter how many times he said them to her. "I love you too, Rick. Don't go signing any chests, alright?"

Rick chuckled in response. "Only yours, my dear Mrs. Castle. Only yours".

And with those parting words, he hung up. Kate smiled to herself as she carefully reached into the plain-looking manila envelope on the coffee table in front of her, pulling a small black and white photo out and casting her eyes over it once more before slipping it into the box on her lap to join the stick-like object that was already in there.

**~John F. Kennedy Airport, present day~**

"Kate!"

It didn't take her husband long to see her. Within seconds, he had reached her, his strong arms wrapped around her, his face buried into the crook of her neck, savoring the sweet smell of her skin as if he could never get enough of her. "God, I missed you so much" he whispered.

"I missed you too, Rick. I'm so glad you're home" she replied softly, before pulling away and reaching into her pocket, withdrawing the small, ordinary-looking, box.

"What's that?"

She held it out to him. "It's your surprise. Go ahead, open it".

He did so, gently taking it from her outstretched hand and lifting the lid off, mouth dropping open as he looked at the contents. "Kate, are you…"

She beamed up at him, never gladder than at that very moment for the fact that she had decided to wear flats instead of high heels. "Yes. Yes, Rick, I'm pregnant. Just over a month in, according to the doctor I saw three days ago".

There was a pause while Rick digested this news, and then he lowered his mouth slightly to meet hers, sealing their lips together in a quick, though passionate, kiss. "You're pregnant. We're going to be parents. My god, Kate, this is incredible".

"You're happy then?" she queried.

Even knowing the answer as she did, it was still best to be absolutely certain. Rick smiled at her. "Happy? Kate, I'm ecstatic. You are going to be an absolutely amazing mother, I am certain of it".

"You're going to be an amazing father, Rick. You already are one to Alexis, so you'll no doubt be one to our child, or children (as the case may very well turn out to be), as well. Now, how about we go home, and we can… catch up… properly?"

He chuckled in response, picking up his bag with one hand and slipping the other around his wife's waist as they headed for the doors that led into the parking lot. "Best welcome home surprise ever".


End file.
